No-flow alarm-circuit closer



Ml? .10' 1927' R. E. HANsoN NOFLOW ALARM CIRCUIT CLOSER Filed April 29. 1926 Boy ,Ef/Sanson,

A ttorrzeg.

Patented May 10, 1927.

ROY E. HANSON, 0F LOSANGELES, CALIFGRNIA.

NO-FLOW ALARM-CIRCUIT CLOSER.

Application filed April 29, 192i?.

luthis specication, and the accompanying drawing, l shall describe and show a preferred 'torni ol my invention, and specili cally mention certain. oit its more important objects. l do not limit inyselil to the 'tori'ns disclosed, since various chai'iges and :uilaptations nia-y be made Jiherein without departing :from the essence o'l' my iiivention as hereinafter claimed; and objects and adH vantagcs, other than those specificallyfinentioned, are included Within its scope.

My invention relates to auxiliary devices for pipe line systems for soundingan alarm when the ilow in the pipe line ceases. lts principal objects are: liirst, to provide positive means 'for sounding a nostioxv alarm independently of changes kof static pressure in the pipe line; second7 to iurnish conven ient facilities for quickly adjusting the dete meet a Wide range ot 'lioiv velec ities; and, third, to accomplish these obje s by means oi a very simple and relatively inexpensive construction.

My objects are attained in the manner illustrated in the accompanying` drawing, in whichn Figure l is a vertical central section of my device in operative relation to a pipe line, with the interior parts shown in elevation; and Figure 2 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 2--2 of F l. i

Similar reference numerals reifer to siiniparts throughout `both views.

The form or my invention selected for illustrative purposes comprises a housing` 3, ot inverted boXshape, separably n'iounted upon, a base 4l. The buse is provided with a. downwardly projecting` plugl 5, adapted 'for being screwed into a pipe line Plug 5 has a Wecge-shapcd lower extremity T and passages 8 and 9 leading upwardly trom the respective Wedge faces This arrangement obviously aliords means ior utilizing the principles ot the litet tube :for obtaining differentialA pressures in passages S and S) when there is a flew in pipe line 6. l. employ this pressure diii'erentiai to hold open an electric alarm circuit which `will automatically close when the iioiv in pipe line 6 ceases, since the pressi'lres in passages 8 and i) will become equalized in consequence.

A pair et small pressure tubes l() and ll, et resilient material such as hard 'drawn bronze, lead iujnvardly from passages 8 and S) respectively7 and support a much larger taperhthreadedk Serial No. 105,500.

U-tube l2 suspended :from their .upper ex tremities. The arms of the U-tube have opposltely extending U-bends 18 and la therein at i erentlevels, and caps l5 close their upper extremities. Pressure tubes l0 und ll coinmiuiieate k'with the yJespectivc arms il; ,and oi the 'tl-tube near 4their uppery ends. f

lli-in 1G olhe U-tube carries a clamp 18, with a proj ting pin l) thereon7 adapted to press against a .switch spring 2O and lo close the electrical contacts 2l thereby. rihese contacts are electrically connected by means of cable 22 to an` alarm gong andbattery (notshoxvn) in such manner that lthe alarm will sound Whenthe contacts Q1 are closed.

.Arm i7 is restricted in its motion to 'the by means of the adjustable stop screw f he iljlube is iilled with mercury through one otflie caps l5 up to the normal level indicated yby iine 2li. The cap is then Ireplaced so ao to-be pressure tight. .The mercury in the tivo branches or the ltube will continue to stand at level 24T so lengtes the pressuretin the tivo branches ofthe, tube is yefpialized, as is rthe case When there is no riciv in pipe line 6. it is quite immaterial what the static pressure in the pipe line may be, is soon as there is a iloiv inthe pine line there will be a difference yin pressuire in the two arms oi the ,li-tube rdue to the llitot effect produced in passages 8 und 9 by the lieu: This will cause theievel the mercury to fall in one arm, and lto i -priiiiortionally in rthe other-arm.

'lhe mercury in the two luanclies o'i'f the tir-tube stands at level 2li. with no i'ioiv in pipe line tu :is stated. At thislcvel it is obvious that the center ofgravity eil? tl e mercury lilledU-tube is to the lett of the vcenter line byreason ofthe mercury con,- tained in bend i3. 'Vhen a flow :in tile pipe line takes place in the direction ofi arrow the pressure increases in tube l() `and arm lli. rFhere lwill be correspoiulii' diminution ot vpressure in tube ll and ariu 1Ty at the saine iti-nie. rihis pressure differential will torce the mercury down inthe leift hand .side of the U-tube to, say7 level 2G; :and anse the mercury to rise in the right hand side to level :27. The center of gavity will then be on the rightr hand side et the center line by reason olf the mercury contained iu bend la.

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The shitting of the center ofgravity in the manner just described will cause the resilient supporting tubes l0 and ll to bend slighthv to the right by reason of' their eccentric loading. The movement is slight, but quite sufficient to break the electrical circuit at contacts 21. lVhen the flow in pipe G stops the mercury will return to level Qi and cause the tubes l0 and ll to bend to the left and thus close contacts Q1 to sound the no-flow alarm.

To accomplish my second stated object, and to prevent too great variation in the mercury levels with possible loss ot mercury, it is only necessary to turn the device slightly with respect to the pipe line. Thus the maximum eil'ect otl the pressure differential is obtained when the device is positioned as shown in the drawing. lt it is turned 90 degrees there will be no Pitet efiect at any dow velocity. Intermediate Pitot eli'ects are obtainable at intermediate angular positions of' the device.

ln order to allow the instrument to be turned in the manner just described, the electrical conduit 28 is tapped into the housing co-axially with plug 5. The device may therefore be turned on the threads ot the conduit and the plug.

rlhe electrical binding posts 29 are mounted upon a strip 30 ot insulating material, and a cover plate 3l ove` an opening in the side ot the housing gives access to the electrical connectors.

l desire particularly to point out that my invention is not limited to the use ot a Pitot tube. Any means for obtaining a pressure ditiferential due to tiow in the pipe line will serve. Thus the use ot an orifice with manometric connections on the respective sides thereof is a satisfactory means `tor securing1 the pressure differential.

The shitting ot the center ot gravity of the lJ-tube is due not only to transferring the mercury from one side to the other; but also in marked degree to the use ot laterally positioned reservoirs on the arms at ditl'erent levels. Lateral bends 13 and ll constitute such reservoirs in the form ot my invention selected tor illustration. lt is entirely teasible to malte use ot closed chambers ot various forms, in place of these lateral bends. The chambers are position-ed on the outside ot' the respective arms ot the Utube; to increase the gra vitat-ional moment arm, and communicate with the arms of the tube at the top and bottom ot the reservoir so as to permit them to fill b v the rise of liquid in the arms.

Having thusI fully described my invention, i claim:

l. -l device ot the character described comprising; an upright U-tube having closed ends, iiexibly position-ed for lateral movement in its plane; mercury filling the bend ot the tube and portions ot its arms; means whereby a flow of fluid may be made to create a difference of pressure in said arms for disilacing` the mercury to shift its center of gravity and thereby cause lateral movement ot the tube; and electric circuit closing means adapted for operation by said lateral movement.

9.. A device of the character described comprising; an upright U-tube having closed arms outwardly bent at different levels in the plane of the tube; a flexible suspension -lor the tube allowing it to move laterally in its plane; mercury filling the bend olf the` tube and the arms up to the level ot the upper outward bend; means whereby a tlow ot tluid may be made to create a difference o'j pressure in said arms `for displacing the mercury to shit-'t its center oi gravity and thereby cause lateral movement ot the tube.; and electric circuit closing n ans adapted tor operation by said lateral movement.

3. A device of the character described comprising; an upright U-tube lmving` closed arms with latera" y extending reservoirs thereon at ditlerent levels and communicating with the respective arms so as to till by the rise of liquid in the arms; a flexible suspension for the tube allowing it to move laterally in its plane; n'iercury filling the bend ot the tube7 and the arms to a normal level approximately the same as at the top ot' the lower reservoir; means whereby a flow ot' fluid may be made to create a difference ot pressure in said arms for displacing the mercury to shift its center ot gravity and thereby cause lateral movement oi the tube; and electric circuit closing means adapted tor operation by said lateral movement.

4. A device ot the character described comprising; an upright U-tube having closed arms, flexibly suspended by a pair oi.: small resilient tubes respectively communicating with the upper ends ot said arms and permitting the U-tube to move laterally in its plane; mercury filling the bend ot the U-tube and portions of its arms; means whereby a tlow ot fluid may be made to create a difterence ot pressure in said resilient tubes for displacing the mercury to shift its center ot gravity and thereby cause lateral movement of the U-tube; and electric circuit closing means adapted for operation by said lateral movement.

5. A device ot the character described comprising; an upright U-tube having closed arms bent outwardly at. different levels in the plane of the tube; a pair ot small re silient tubes respectively communicating with the upper ends ot said arms and flexibly supporting the U-tube so as to permit the latter to move laterally in its plane; mercury tilling the bend ot the U-tube and the arms up to the level of the upper outward bend; means whereby a flow ot fluid may be made to create a difference of pressure in llili llO said resilient tubes for displacing the mercury to shift its center of gravity and thereby cause lateral movement ot' the U-tube; and electric circuit closing means adapted tor operation by said lateral movement.

(i. A device of the character described comprising; an upright U-tube having closed arms with laterally extending reservoirs thereon at different levels and communicatini;` with the respective arms so as to lill by the rise of liquid in the arms; a pair et' small resilient tubes respectively communieating with the upper ends of said arms and vflexibly supporting the U-tube so to permit the latter to move laterally in its plane; mercury filling the bend ot' the tuber` and the arms to a normal level approximately the same as at the top ot the lower reservoir; means whereby a tlow ot Huid may be made to create a difference oi pressure in. said resilient tubes for displacing the mercury to shift its center of gravity and thereby cause lateral movement of the U-tube; and electric circuit closing means adapted for operation by said lateral movement.

7. In combination; a pipe line; a pair oi resilient manometric tubes communicating with the pipe line; means cooperative with the pipe line ttor causing a liow of fluid therethrough to create a pressure differential in said tubes; an upright U-tube having closed arms the upper ends of which respectively communicate with said manometric tubes and are flexibly supported thereby to sustain the weight of the U-tube and permit it to move laterally in its plane; mercury filling the bend of the U-tube and portions of its arms; and electric circuit closing means adapted for operation by said lateral movements of the U-tube,

S. In combination; a pipe line; a plug with a wedge-shaped inner extremity tapped into the pipe line and haa/ing` longitudinal passages communicating with the respective wedge faces ot said extremity; resilient tubes respectively extending outwardly from said passages; an upright U-tube having closed arms, the upper ends et which respectively communicate 'with said resilient tubes and are 'flexibly supported thereby to suf-:tain the weiggght oif the U-tube and permit it to move laterally in its plane; mercury iilling the bend oit the U-tube and portions oit' .its arms; and electric circuit closing means adapted for operation by said lateral movement oi. the U-tube.

9. A construction as set liorth in claim 8 wherein said arms are bent outwardly at different levels in the plane oit the U-tube and wherein the mercury normally fills the arms up to the level of the upper outward bend 10. A construction as set i'iorth in claim 8 wherein said arms have laterally extending reservoirs therein at different levels and communicating' with the respective arms so as to fili by the rise ot liquid in the arms; and wherein 'the mercury normally lills the bend of the tube, and the arms to a level approximately the same as the top of the lower reservoir. A

ROY E. HANSON.

il tl 

